WW2 museum shed saved my life - cancer survivor
BBCA Birmingham man who turned his garden shed into a World War Two museum while recovering from cancer says the project "saved my life".
Rob Sharpe, 67, has been shortlisted for the UK's Shed of the Year competition after transforming the building into a tribute to the wartime generation he has admired since childhood.
Filled with military artefacts, uniforms, medical equipment and family memorabilia, the museum became a source of comfort and purpose while he underwent treatment for maxillofacial cancer.
"The hobby has saved my life," he said.
"It was a way of recovering. Every day I did a little bit and looked forward to doing a bit more.
"It's a means of waking up in the morning."
Rob's fascination with World War Two began when he was about 12 years old.
A neighbour, who had survived a Spitfire crash during the war, introduced him to another collector whose garden housed an aircraft-hangar-style museum.
The experience left a lasting impression.
"Ever since then I've always wanted to do it," he said.
That childhood interest grew into a lifelong passion, fuelled in part by stories of his grandfather George's military service.
He served with the Eighth Army in North Africa before landing at Sword Beach shortly after D-Day and fighting across Europe.
Among the exhibits is the item Rob treasures most - a compass his grandfather brought back from North Africa, which was later passed to his father and then to him.
"It's only a small item, but it means a lot to me," he said. "It's history."
During treatment, Rob said creating the museum gave him focus at a time when life felt uncertain.
Everything in his collection had previously been stored away in boxes in the loft.
Moving it into a dedicated museum space allowed him to reconnect with decades of collecting and share the exhibits with visitors.
"You need something in life to look forward to," he said.
"I was just never giving up and this has helped me. It's been unbelievable."
Rob said the cancer diagnosis initially came as a shock, but he remained determined to stay positive.
"Everybody who's suffering from cancer should be positive," he said. "You don't give up."
Now cancer-free and continuing his recovery, he says he feels better than he has in years.
"I feel better now than before I had cancer," he said. "I'm on medication for the rest of my life, but at least I'm going forward."
The museum continues to attract visitors, including local history enthusiasts and families interested in wartime history.
Rob, who also takes part in military re-enactments, hopes to expand it further in the future.
"I've got a lot more stuff I'd like to put out," he said.
Shortlisting for UK Shed of the Year came after his partner, Sue, encouraged him to enter the competition.
After submitting photographs of the museum, he learned he had made the final shortlist alongside dozens of other entries from across the UK.
"It's something to look forward to again," he said.
For Rob, though, the real achievement is not the chance of winning a prize.
While judges decide whether it is Britain's best shed, he believes its greatest value lies elsewhere.
"If it wasn't for the doctors, surgeons and nurses who helped me through cancer, I wouldn't be here.
"But this gave me something to focus on every day.
"I'm so proud of it."
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